VIDEO INTERVIEW - JERRY SCHEVE
WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Wilmington College women's basketball team outscored Hanover College 32-18 in the second quarter en route to an 88-77 victory and the 2018 Fred Raizk Memorial Tournament championship on Sunday afternoon.
For the first time in three games, Wilmington started well as the Quakers came away with points on 4-of-6 possessions to begin the game. Hanover would storm back to take a 15-11 lead on a Katie Hartman jumper with 3:40 to play in the quarter. The Quakers answered with triples from McKayla and Hannah Binkley with a Faith Teaford layup sandwiched in between to tie the contest 19-19. Another Hannah Binkley basket and a Hooper free throw gave Wilmington a 22-20 lead after 10 minutes.
Wilmington maintained a small lead in the early portion of the second quarter. A Claire Cromer triple cut the lead to 32-27 with 7:50 to play in the first half, but then came the Wilmington run that would seal the game. The Quakers outscored the Panthers 22-11 thanks in part to grabbing six offensive rebounds to end the half ahead 54-38.
The Quakers' advantage would grow to 20 when Hooper connected on a three-pointer with 3:19 to play in the third making the score 64-44. Hanover would cut that deficit in half (69-59) when Avery Chezem hit a triple with eight minutes to play in regulation. Wilmington responded with a 10-2 run capped by a Hooper layup to put the game away.
Wilmington shot 47 percent (31-of-66) for the game including 44 percent (11-of-25) from distance and 75 percent (15-of-20) from the free throw line. Hanover countered with 36.6 percent (26-of-71) from the field, 28.6 percent (8-of-28) from beyond the arc and 58.6 percent (17-of-29) from the free throw line. The Quakers overcame 19 turnovers by out-rebounding the Panthers 49-37.
Individually, five Quakers scored in double figures including Hooper with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. McKayla Binkley added 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists while Teaford turned in another double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Hannah Binkley included 13 points and six rebounds off the bench while Kennedy Lewis added 10 points and six assists.
Maleha Motter led Hanover with 22 points and 14 rebounds in defeat. Cromer added 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Panthers.
Motter earned a spot on the All-Tournament team as the Most Valuable Player. Lewis, Teaford and Hooper were the Wilmington contingent to earn spots on the All-Tournament team along with Kathleen Wilson of Centre College and Natali Dimitrova of North Central College.
Centre defeated North Central 57-40 in the consolation of the tournament.
Wilmington (3-1) heads to Earlham College for the Quaker Bowl Rivalry on Wednesday evening.